Leigh Leopards 20-6 Leeds Rhinos: Edwin Ipape double leads Leigh to long-awaited victory over Leeds Rhinos
A double for Edwin Ipape plus a try for Kai O'Donnell gave newly-promoted Leigh Leopards another huge victory; Leeds could only respond through James Bentley just before half-time
Last Updated: 22/04/23 11:50am
Edwin Ipape scored two tries as Leigh recorded their first win over Leeds since 1988 with a 20-6 success.
The Papua New Guinea hooker crossed twice in the first half at the Leigh Sports Village as Adrian Lam's team raced into a 16-0 lead before withstanding concerted Rhinos pressure to record a fifth win of the season.
Kai O'Donnell also scored for Leigh, while Ben Reynolds kicked four goals from five attempts, meaning the newly-promoted side have now beaten both of last year's Grand Finalists in 2023, having upset St Helens in March.
- LISTEN: The Bench podcast | Cats vs dogs & rugby league superheroes
- Super League fixtures | Standings | Rugby league on Sky Sports
Leeds' only try came from James Bentley on the stroke of half-time which was converted by Rhys Martin.
Leigh named the same side which won at Wakefield 32-0 on Sunday, while Leeds included scrum-half Aidan Sezer, who suffered head and ankle injuries against Hull FC.
Story of the game
It was a relentless start from the home side as they scored twice inside the first nine minutes, with Leeds barely touching the ball.
After only three minutes Lachlan Lam's angled inside kick sat up for his Papua New Guinea international team-mate Ipape and he touched down by the posts. Reynolds added the conversion.
There was no let up from Leigh as they kept the ball moving along the line at every opportunity.
In the ninth minute Tom Amone and Lam combined to send O'Donnell charging over for his side's second try. Reynolds slipped on his run-up and pulled his conversion attempt wide.
Leopards winger Josh Charnley, Super League's leading try-scorer, broke dangerously from inside his own half, but his inside pass for Lam was patted down by Leeds full-back Richie Myler, saving a certain try.
But Leigh did not have to wait much longer for their third try and once again it was scored by the busy Ipape, squeezing over from dummy half after Robbie Mulhern had been stopped just short of the Leeds line. Reynolds' conversion made it 16-0.
It was a sign of Leigh's dominance that the first time Leeds even got within 20 metres of their try-line was in the 30th minute.
Leigh successfully repelled that attack, but their defence was finally breached in the last minute of the half.
Former Leigh centre Nene MacDonald stole the ball one-on-one from Gareth O'Brien and possession was spun left where James Bentley hit a great line from a Blake Austin pass to score a try on the last tackle. Rhyse Martin's conversion made it 16-6 at the break.
There was more urgency from the Rhinos, who had won all seven previous Super League encounters between the sides, at the start of the second half, but they struggled to build up pressure on Leigh's scrambling defence.
Leigh registered the first points of an increasingly error-strewn second half in the 63rd minute when a high shot on Matt Davis gave Reynolds a penalty chance from 30 metres out and he made no mistake to extend his side's lead to 18-6.
With two minutes remaining, Leeds were caught offside and Reynolds slotted over a routine kick to make it a decisive 14-point lead and seal a second home win of the campaign.
What's next
After the international break, the Leigh Leopards welcome the Castleford Tigers on Friday May 5, with kick-off at 8pm. For the Leeds Rhinos, a home clash against the Salford Red Devils awaits, also on May 5, with kick-off at 8pm.
